The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book.

KIPLING, Rudyard.

Item Number: 110973

London: Macmillan, 1894-95.

First edition, second printings of both volumes of The Jungle Book, finely bound in full morocco. Octavo, two volumes bound in full morocco by Atelier with gilt titles and tooling to the spines in six compartments within raised bands, triple gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated with engravings by J. L. Kipling, W.H. Drake and P. Frenzeny including tissue-guarded frontispiece to Volume I. With the original cloth spines, front and rear panels bound in at the rear of each volume. In fine condition. An exceptional set of these classic children’s books.

The Jungle Book is a collection of fables which provide moral instruction by using animals anthropomorphically. Each story begins and ends with a verse, and the original publications contain some illustrations created by Rudyard's father John Lockwood Kipling. The inspiration for the book is evident. Kipling was born in India, and he spent his childhood there. Interestingly, Kipling wrote these stories when he lived in Vermont. The Jungle Book is used to develop the morale of the junior element of the Scouting movement, "The Cub Scouts". The name of the head wolf "Akela" has been traditionally given to each Cub Scout pack leader. At least fifteen movies were released based on Kipling's stories, beginning with Elephant Boy in 1937. A live-action anticipated version of Jungle Book will be released in October of 2018 by Warner Brothers.